Coimbatore: For the past three years, the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has been working along the Noyyal River Basin identifying key areas in small streams so that water saving structures could be installed and ground water can be increased bringing it to zero meters below ground level (mbgl) in the coming years.
The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has identified 1529 spots in the Noyyal River Basin to set up structures that would help save rain water.
Coimbatore: For the past three years, DRDA has been working along the Noyyal River Basin to identify key areas in small streams so that water saving structures could be installed and ground water can be increased bringing it to zero meters below ground level (mbgl) in the coming years.
According to Ruban Shankar Raja, Project Director of DRDA, a study was carried out along Noyyal River Basin, wherein 1529 areas were selected to install structures such as Gabion, concrete check dams, recharge wells and pits.
Of the 1529 structures, upto 400 structures have been planned in the Koushika River, which has dried up completely. “We have made sure that these structures do not disturb the main river and have planned all the structure in channels and small streams,” said Ruban Shankar Raja.
He further added that areas were selected specifically so that water could be stored underground through the openings in the rock.
“These are slow working models that help recharge ground water effectively. With not much water being wasted, one can expect the ground water table slowly rising to achieve Zero mbgl in three to four years,” he told the SimpliCity.
According to Ruban Shankar, their efforts have yielded fruitful results in the last few years bringing down the mbgl from 29.62 in May 2017 to 17 in May this year. With consistent efforts, officials are looking to bring it down to eight meters in 2021.
Along with constructing structures on streams, DRDA has also taken up farmlands in the basin wherein they have made earthen bunds upto two feet high through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Work has been carried out in 3,201 farmlands belonging to marginal farmers.
“We have selected farmlands that are lesser than five acres and have utilised upto 50 cents in each farmland to create the bunds. As many 3.20 acres of lands have been utilised, which would help preserve 30 lakh litres of water during a good monsoon season with 950 mm rainfall. This could well rise upto two crore litres a year if the structures do their part,” he informed.
The structures include 1045 recharge pits, 1471 gabion check dams and 1471 check dams that would be spread on the 1529 identified recharge spots.
In addition, DRDA is also planning to set up Miyawaki plantations in the basin to increase green cover.
Claiming that such structures are need of the hour, P.K. Selvaraj, member of the Koushika River Rejuvenation Organisation said that water bodies have been manipulated so badly that artificial interventions have become inevitable. “If the water flow is natural and water bodies are brimming with water, we need not do anything. But, now is a time for action and we have to do whatever is possible to bring the ground water level back,” he said.
Meanwhile, youngsters of the Vadugapalayam village have made use of the check dam built in their village effectively to store water after almost 17 years.
The check dam that is build on the Sulur Taluk, which comes under the Noyyal River Basin, was repaired by the youngsters with the help of DRDA and is now brimming water rain water that could have easily drained away as the structure remained broken for 17 years.
Coimbatore: For the past three years, DRDA has been working along the Noyyal River Basin to identify key areas in small streams so that water saving structures could be installed and ground water can be increased bringing it to zero meters below ground level (mbgl) in the coming years.
According to Ruban Shankar Raja, Project Director of DRDA, a study was carried out along Noyyal River Basin, wherein 1529 areas were selected to install structures such as Gabion, concrete check dams, recharge wells and pits.
Of the 1529 structures, upto 400 structures have been planned in the Koushika River, which has dried up completely. “We have made sure that these structures do not disturb the main river and have planned all the structure in channels and small streams,” said Ruban Shankar Raja.
He further added that areas were selected specifically so that water could be stored underground through the openings in the rock.
“These are slow working models that help recharge ground water effectively. With not much water being wasted, one can expect the ground water table slowly rising to achieve Zero mbgl in three to four years,” he told the SimpliCity.
According to Ruban Shankar, their efforts have yielded fruitful results in the last few years bringing down the mbgl from 29.62 in May 2017 to 17 in May this year. With consistent efforts, officials are looking to bring it down to eight meters in 2021.
Along with constructing structures on streams, DRDA has also taken up farmlands in the basin wherein they have made earthen bunds upto two feet high through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Work has been carried out in 3,201 farmlands belonging to marginal farmers.
“We have selected farmlands that are lesser than five acres and have utilised upto 50 cents in each farmland to create the bunds. As many 3.20 acres of lands have been utilised, which would help preserve 30 lakh litres of water during a good monsoon season with 950 mm rainfall. This could well rise upto two crore litres a year if the structures do their part,” he informed.
The structures include 1045 recharge pits, 1471 gabion check dams and 1471 check dams that would be spread on the 1529 identified recharge spots.
In addition, DRDA is also planning to set up Miyawaki plantations in the basin to increase green cover.
Claiming that such structures are need of the hour, P.K. Selvaraj, member of the Koushika River Rejuvenation Organisation said that water bodies have been manipulated so badly that artificial interventions have become inevitable. “If the water flow is natural and water bodies are brimming with water, we need not do anything. But, now is a time for action and we have to do whatever is possible to bring the ground water level back,” he said.
Meanwhile, youngsters of the Vadugapalayam village have made use of the check dam built in their village effectively to store water after almost 17 years.
The check dam that is build on the Sulur Taluk, which comes under the Noyyal River Basin, was repaired by the youngsters with the help of DRDA and is now brimming water rain water that could have easily drained away as the structure remained broken for 17 years.